Queso Fundido with Chorizo & Roasted Poblano

Ingredients

Contains dairy. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Method

1. 1

   Char the poblano: hold the poblano over a gas burner or place under a hot broiler and turn occasionally until blistered and blackened on all sides.

   If you don't have a broiler or gas flame, cook the pepper in a very hot cast-iron skillet until the skin blisters.

   10 min
2. 2

   Steam the pepper: put the charred poblano in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a bowl to steam for 10 minutes.

   10 min
3. 3

   Peel and dice the poblano: peel away the charred skin, discard seeds and ribs, and dice the flesh into roughly 1/2-inch pieces.

4. 4

   Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add the raw chorizo (and 1 tbsp oil only if chorizo looks very lean).

5. 5

   Break up and cook the chorizo, stirring and pressing with a spatula, until fully cooked and browned, about 6–8 minutes.

   Cook until most pink is gone and juices are reduced; drain off excess fat if it seems excessive, leaving a little for flavor.

   8 min
6. 6

   Push the chorizo to one side of the skillet, add the chopped onion to the empty side and cook until soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes.

   4 min
7. 7

   Add the minced garlic, cumin and smoked paprika to the onion and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

8. 8

   Stir the onion and spices into the cooked chorizo, then mix in the diced roasted poblano. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

9. 9

   Lower the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the shredded Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheeses evenly over the chorizo mixture, dot with crema (or pour the milk), and let the cheese begin to melt.

10. 10

    Gently stir the cheese into the meat until fully melted, bubbling and stretchy, about 3–4 minutes. If the cheese is clumping, add another teaspoon of milk and stir.

    Keep the heat moderate to avoid oiling out the cheese; if the skillet is too hot, remove from heat briefly.

    4 min
11. 11

    Remove the skillet from heat, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and optional pickled jalapeños or a squeeze of lime.

12. 12

    Warm the corn tortillas: wrap in a clean kitchen towel and microwave 30–45 seconds or warm in a dry skillet 20–30 seconds per side; keep wrapped until serving.

    1 min
13. 13

    Serve the queso fundido straight from the skillet with warm corn tortillas and tortilla chips for scooping.